Walnut pruning practices Walnut pruning practice: How intensively you manage the black walnut plantation depends on your objectives, time available, resources, and plantation size. Unlike site selection, management of black walnut is flexible, and many methods are available for managing the stand. Only basic methods are covered here. Thinning, pruning, and other cultural practices are affected by your choice of initial spacing. With wide spacing, thinning is not needed. On...